History of Salman Rushdie in Timeline

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Salman Rushdie

Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie is an Indian-born British and American novelist known for blending magic realism with historical fiction. His work explores the connections and disruptions between Eastern and Western civilizations, often focusing on the Indian subcontinent. His second novel, Midnight's Children, won the Booker Prize in 1981 and was later recognized as the "best novel of all winners" during the prize's 25th and 40th anniversary celebrations, solidifying his place as a significant literary figure.

1945: Ranked among greatest British writers since 1945

In 2008, The Times ranked Salman Rushdie 13th on its list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.

June 1947: Salman Rushdie's birth

On June 1947, Salman Rushdie was born in Bombay, British India, into a Kashmiri Muslim family.

Others born on this day/year

1964: Move to England for schooling

In 1964, Rushdie moved to England to attend Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire.

1975: Publication of Grimus

In 1975, Rushdie's debut novel, the science fiction tale Grimus, was published but generally ignored by the public and literary critics.

1976: Marriage to Clarissa Luard

In 1976, Salman Rushdie married Clarissa Luard, literature officer of the Arts Council of England.

1977: Roman Polanski's Charge

In 1977, Roman Polanski was charged for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl, which led to his arrest in Switzerland in 2009, prompting Salman Rushdie to sign a petition for his release.

1979: Birth of son Zafar

In 1979, Salman Rushdie and Clarissa Luard had a son named Zafar.

1981: Publication of Midnight's Children

In 1981, Rushdie published his novel, Midnight's Children, which gained him recognition. It follows the life of Saleem Sinai, born at the stroke of midnight as India gained its independence.

Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)

1981: Booker Prize for Midnight's Children

In 1981, Salman Rushdie's second novel, Midnight's Children, won the Booker Prize. The novel was later deemed "the best novel of all winners" on two occasions, for the 25th and 40th anniversary of the prize.

Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)

1981: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize and Awarded the Prize

In 1981, Salman Rushdie's work, Midnight's Children, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and won the prize.

Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)

1981: Midnight's Children wins Booker Prize

Midnight's Children won the 1981 Booker Prize.

Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)

1982: Advertising work at Ayer Barker

Until 1982, Rushdie worked for the advertising agency Ayer Barker, where he wrote the line "That'll do nicely" for American Express.

1983: Publication of Shame

In 1983, Rushdie published Shame, depicting political turmoil in Pakistan, basing his characters on Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. Shame won France's Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (Best Foreign Book) and was a close runner-up for the Booker Prize.

1983: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature

In 1983, Rushdie was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

1983: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Shame

In 1983, Salman Rushdie's work, Shame, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

1987: Publication of The Jaguar Smile

In 1987, Rushdie wrote a non-fiction book about Nicaragua called The Jaguar Smile, based on his first-hand experiences and research at the scene of Sandinista political experiments.

1987: Divorce from Clarissa Luard

In 1987, Salman Rushdie divorced his first wife, Clarissa Luard. Prior to this, he left Clarissa in the mid-1980s for Robyn Davidson.

September 1988: Publication of The Satanic Verses and Subsequent Controversy

In September 1988, The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie was published by Viking Penguin Publishing, causing immediate controversy in the Islamic world due to perceived irreverent depictions of Muhammad. The book was banned in many countries with large Muslim communities.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel
The Satanic Verses: A Novel

1988: Publication of The Satanic Verses

In 1988, Rushdie's most controversial work, The Satanic Verses, was published and won the Whitbread Award.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel
The Satanic Verses: A Novel

1988: Marriage to Marianne Wiggins

In 1988, Salman Rushdie married the American novelist Marianne Wiggins.

1988: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize for The Satanic Verses

In 1988, Salman Rushdie's work, The Satanic Verses, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel
The Satanic Verses: A Novel

January 1989: Rushdie's Column in The Observer

On January 22, 1989, in response to protests against 'The Satanic Verses', Salman Rushdie published a column in The Observer calling Muhammad 'one of the great geniuses of world history', while maintaining that the novel is an attempt to write about migration and its stresses.

February 1989: Fatwa Issued Against Salman Rushdie

On February 14, 1989, Ayatollah Khomeini proclaimed a fatwa on Radio Tehran ordering Salman Rushdie's execution for blasphemy against Islam due to his book 'The Satanic Verses'.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel
The Satanic Verses: A Novel

March 1989: UK and Iran Break Diplomatic Relations

On March 7, 1989, the United Kingdom and Iran broke diplomatic relations over the Salman Rushdie controversy following the fatwa issued against him.

August 1989: Book Bomb Explosion in London

On August 3, 1989, Mustafa Mahmoud Mazeh, using an alias, died in a London hotel when a book bomb he was priming with RDX explosives detonated prematurely. The Organization of the Mujahidin of Islam claimed he died preparing an attack on Salman Rushdie. He is considered the first martyr in the mission to kill Rushdie.

1989: Publication of 'Words For Salman Rushdie'

In 1989, The New York Times published 'Words For Salman Rushdie', featuring 28 distinguished writers from 21 countries expressing solidarity with Rushdie in the face of the fatwa.

1989: Christopher Hitchens Defends Salman Rushdie

In 1989, following the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, Christopher Hitchens voiced his strong support for Rushdie, seeing it as a battle between everything he loved (literature, freedom) versus everything he hated (dictatorship, censorship).

1989: Rushdie Discusses Muslim Faith and Secular Humanism

In 1989, following the fatwa, Salman Rushdie described himself as a lapsed Muslim shaped by Muslim culture and a student of Islam. He also stated his point of view was that of a secular human being, not believing in supernatural entities.

December 1990: Statement Reaffirming Muslim Faith

In December 1990, Salman Rushdie issued a statement reaffirming his Muslim faith, distancing himself from statements in "The Satanic Verses" that cast aspersion on Islam or Prophet Mohammad, and opposing the release of the paperback editing of the novel.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel
The Satanic Verses: A Novel

1990: Publication of Haroun and the Sea of Stories

In 1990, Rushdie published Haroun and the Sea of Stories, which is about the magic of story-telling and an allegorical defence of the power of stories over silence.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories
Haroun and the Sea of Stories

1990: Review of Thomas Pynchon's Vineland

In 1990, Rushdie reviewed Thomas Pynchon's Vineland in The New York Times.

Vineland (Classic, 20th-Century, Penguin)
Vineland (Classic, 20th-Century, Penguin)

1990: Release of International Gorillay

In 1990, a Pakistani film entitled International Gorillay (International Guerillas) was released. The film depicted Rushdie as a villain plotting Pakistan's downfall and ends with his death. The British Board of Film Classification initially refused it a certificate, but Rushdie later said he would not sue if it were released.

1991: Speech at Columbia University

In 1991, Salman Rushdie gave an address at Columbia University to mark the 200th anniversary of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, where he stated 'free speech is life itself'.

1991: Attack on Italian and Japanese Translators

In 1991, the Italian translator of "The Satanic Verses" was stabbed but survived. Days later, Hitoshi Igarashi, the Japanese translator, was stabbed to death.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel
The Satanic Verses: A Novel

1992: Regret of Reaffirming Muslim Faith

In 1992, Salman Rushdie cited the release of his 1990 statement reaffirming his Muslim faith as perhaps his lowest point, regretting its language.

August 1993: Public Appearance at Wembley Stadium

On August 11, 1993, despite the fatwa against him, Salman Rushdie made a public appearance at London's Wembley Stadium during a U2 concert. This event occurred amidst violence sparked by the publication of his book and the fatwa, with bookstores firebombed and attacks on those associated with the book.

1993: Publication of For Rushdie

In 1993, 100 writers and intellectuals from the Muslim world expressed solidarity with Salman Rushdie in the collection 'For Rushdie'.

1993: Best of the Bookers prize for Midnight's Children

In 1993, Midnight's Children won the Best of the Bookers special prize.

Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)

1993: Divorce from Marianne Wiggins

In 1993, Salman Rushdie divorced his second wife, Marianne Wiggins.

1994: Publication of East, West

In 1994, Rushdie published East, West, a collection of short stories.

1995: Publication of The Moor's Last Sigh

In 1995, Rushdie's novel The Moor's Last Sigh, a family saga spanning some 100 years of India's history, was published and won the Whitbread Award.

The Moor's Last Sigh: Costa Novel Award
The Moor's Last Sigh: Costa Novel Award

1995: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize for The Moor's Last Sigh

In 1995, Salman Rushdie's work, The Moor's Last Sigh, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

The Moor's Last Sigh: Costa Novel Award
The Moor's Last Sigh: Costa Novel Award

February 1997: Blood Money Increased

In February 1997, Ayatollah Hasan Sane'i, leader of the Fifteenth of Khordad Foundation, announced that the blood money offered for the assassination of Salman Rushdie would be increased from $2 million to $2.5 million. Subsequently, another religious foundation in Iran increased its reward from $2.8 million to $3.3 million.

1997: Marriage to Elizabeth West and birth of son Milan

In 1997, Salman Rushdie married British editor and author Elizabeth West and they had a son named Milan.

September 1998: Iranian Government Commitment

On September 24, 1998, as a precondition for restoring diplomatic relations with the UK, the Iranian government, led by Mohammad Khatami, publicly committed to neither support nor hinder assassination operations against Salman Rushdie.

1998: Fatwa Proclaimed Finished by Khatami

In 1998, Iran's former president Mohammad Khatami proclaimed the fatwa "finished"; however, it was never officially lifted.

1999: Publication of The Ground Beneath Her Feet

In 1999, Rushdie published The Ground Beneath Her Feet, a riff on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, casting Orpheus and Eurydice as rock stars. The book features many original song lyrics; one was the basis for the U2 song "The Ground Beneath Her Feet", with Rushdie credited as the lyricist.

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The Ground Beneath Her Feet: A Novel
The Ground Beneath Her Feet: A Novel

1999: Appointed Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France

In 1999, Rushdie was appointed a Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France.

1999: First meeting with Padma Lakshmi

In 1999, Salman Rushdie first met Padma Lakshmi, who was 28 years old at the time while Rushdie was 51.

1999: Operation to correct ptosis

In 1999, Salman Rushdie had an operation to correct ptosis, a problem with the levator palpebrae superioris muscle that causes drooping of the upper eyelid.

1999: Support of NATO bombing of Yugoslavia

In 1999, Salman Rushdie supported the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, leading to Tariq Ali labeling him as part of a group of "warrior writers".

2000: Move to the United States

Since 2000, Rushdie has lived in the United States.

2001: Publication of Fury

In 2001, Rushdie's novel Fury, set mainly in New York, was published.

2001: Support of US-led campaign in Afghanistan

In 2001, Salman Rushdie supported the US-led campaign to remove the Taliban in Afghanistan.

2002: Publication of Step Across This Line

In 2002, Rushdie's non-fiction collection Step Across This Line was published.

2003: Essays Written

In 2003, Salman Rushdie began writing a collection of essays which would later be published in 2021 as 'Languages of Truth'.

2003: Criticism of the Iraq War

In 2003, Salman Rushdie criticized the war in Iraq, stating that while there was a case for removing Saddam Hussein, the US unilateral military intervention was unjustifiable.

2003: Statement that 'Pakistan sucks'

In 2003, Salman Rushdie stated that "Pakistan sucks" during an interview when asked why he felt more like an outsider there than in India or England.

2004: President of PEN American Center

From 2004 to 2006, Salman Rushdie was the President of PEN American Center and founder of the PEN World Voices Festival.

2004: Divorce from Elizabeth West

In 2004, Salman Rushdie and Elizabeth West ended their relationship after a miscarriage.

2004: Marriage to Padma Lakshmi

In 2004, shortly after his third divorce, Salman Rushdie married Padma Lakshmi.

August 2005: Call for Reform in Islam

In mid-August 2005, Salman Rushdie called for a reform in Islam in a guest opinion piece printed in The Washington Post and The Times, advocating the application of higher criticism.

November 2005: Contribution to Free Expression Is No Offence

In November 2005, Salman Rushdie contributed to Free Expression Is No Offence, a collection of essays by several writers published by Penguin, writing about his opposition to the British government's introduction of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act.

2005: Publication of Shalimar the Clown

In 2005, Rushdie's novel Shalimar the Clown, a story about love and betrayal set in Kashmir and Los Angeles, was published.

Shalimar the Clown
Shalimar the Clown

2005: Received Hutch Crossword Book Award for Shalimar the Clown

In 2005, Salman Rushdie's novel Shalimar the Clown received the Hutch Crossword Book Award and was a finalist for the Whitbread Book Awards in the UK.

Shalimar the Clown
Shalimar the Clown

2005: Film 'Water' Faced Violent Protests

In 2005, the film 'Water' by Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta faced violent protests.

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2005: Khomeini's Fatwa Reaffirmed

In early 2005, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader, reaffirmed Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie in a message to Muslim pilgrims in Mecca. The Revolutionary Guards also declared the death sentence still valid.

March 2006: Signing of 'Together Facing the New Totalitarianism' manifesto

In March 2006, Salman Rushdie signed the manifesto "Together Facing the New Totalitarianism", a statement warning of the dangers of religious extremism, which was published in Charlie Hebdo.

May 2006: Guest Host on The Charlie Rose Show

On May 12, 2006, Salman Rushdie was a guest host on The Charlie Rose Show, where he interviewed Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta, whose 2005 film Water faced violent protests.

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2006: Hezbollah Leader's Statement

During the 2006 Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah stated that if a Muslim had carried out Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie, the insults against Prophet Mohammed in Denmark, Norway, and France would not have occurred.

2006: President of PEN American Center

From 2004 to 2006, Salman Rushdie was the President of PEN American Center and founder of the PEN World Voices Festival.

2006: Support of Jack Straw's comments on the niqab

In 2006, Salman Rushdie supported Jack Straw's comments criticizing the wearing of the niqab, a veil covering the face except for the eyes. Rushdie stated his support for Straw's position, viewing it as part of a long battle against the limitation of women. He mentioned that his three sisters would never wear the veil.

2006: Critic of Moral and Cultural Relativism

In 2006, in an interview with Point of Inquiry, Salman Rushdie described his views as a critic of moral and cultural relativism.

2006: Lamenting the division of Kashmir

In a 2006 interview about his novel Shalimar the Clown, Salman Rushdie laments the division of Kashmir into zones of Indian and Pakistani administration as having cut his family down the middle.

Shalimar the Clown
Shalimar the Clown

2006: Identified as a Hardline Atheist

In a 2006 interview with PBS, Salman Rushdie identified himself as a "hardline atheist."

January 2007: Lakshmi requests a divorce

In January 2007, Padma Lakshmi asked Salman Rushdie for a divorce, which they later filed in July of the same year.

June 2007: Knighthood Awarded

On June 16, 2007, Salman Rushdie was knighted for services to literature in the Queen's Birthday Honours. This honor was met with protests from many Muslim-majority nations and sparked controversy.

2007: Knighthood for services to literature

In 2007, Rushdie was knighted for his services to literature.

2007: Distinguished Writer in Residence at Emory University

In 2007, Salman Rushdie began a five-year term as Distinguished Writer in Residence at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he also deposited his archives.

2007: Shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award

In 2007, Salman Rushdie's novel Shalimar the Clown was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award.

Shalimar the Clown
Shalimar the Clown

May 2008: Elected Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters

In May 2008, Salman Rushdie was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

August 2008: Apology Received at High Court

On August 26, 2008, Salman Rushdie received an apology at the High Court in London from his former bodyguard Ron Evans, Evans' co-author, and their publisher. This was in response to a planned book by Evans recounting Rushdie's behavior while in hiding, which Rushdie dismissed as lies and took legal action against.

September 2008: Appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher

In September 2008, Salman Rushdie appeared as a panellist on the HBO programme Real Time with Bill Maher.

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2008: Booker of Bookers prize for Midnight's Children

In 2008, Midnight's Children won the Booker of Bookers special prize.

Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)
Midnight's Children: A Novel (Modern Library 100 Best Novels)

2008: Publication of The Enchantress of Florence

In 2008, The Enchantress of Florence was published, focusing on the past, telling the story of a European's visit to Akbar's court, and his revelation that he is a lost relative of the Mughal emperor.

The Enchantress of Florence: A Novel
The Enchantress of Florence: A Novel

2008: Ranked among greatest British writers since 1945

In 2008, The Times ranked Salman Rushdie 13th on its list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.

March 2009: Appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher

In March 2009, Salman Rushdie appeared as a panellist on the HBO programme Real Time with Bill Maher.

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2009: Signed Petition for Roman Polanski's Release

In 2009, Salman Rushdie signed a petition in support of film director Roman Polanski, calling for his release after Polanski was arrested in Switzerland.

2009: Pia Glenn slams Rushdie

In 2009, actress Pia Glenn slammed Salman Rushdie as "cowardly, dysfunctional, and immature" after he dumped her via email.

September 2010: Production Began for Midnight's Children Film

In September 2010, production began for the cinematic adaptation of Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children, with the film also being called Midnight's Children.

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November 2010: Publication of Luka and the Fire of Life

In November 2010, Luka and the Fire of Life, a sequel to Haroun and the Sea of Stories, was published.

Luka and the Fire of Life: A Novel
Luka and the Fire of Life: A Novel

November 2010: Founding Patron of Ralston College

In November 2010, Salman Rushdie became a founding patron of Ralston College, a new liberal arts college that has adopted as its motto a Latin translation of a phrase ('free speech is life itself') from an address he gave at Columbia University in 1991.

2010: Al-Qaeda Hit List Inclusion

In 2010, Anwar al-Awlaki published an Al-Qaeda hit list in Inspire magazine, including Salman Rushdie along with other figures claimed to have insulted Islam.

2010: U2 bassist Adam Clayton recalls Rushdie's visits

In 2010, U2 bassist Adam Clayton recalled that Bono had been calling Salman Rushdie from the stage every night on the Zoo TV tour. He also recalled how Rushdie was a regular visitor after his surprise appearance at Wembley, with a backstage pass he used often.

June 2011: Announced Television Series 'The Next People'

In June 2011, Salman Rushdie announced that he had written the first draft of a script for a new television series for Showtime, called The Next People, a paranoid science-fiction series where people are disappearing and being replaced by other people. He will also serve as an executive producer for the show.

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January 2012: Cancelled Jaipur Literature Festival Appearance

In January 2012, Salman Rushdie cancelled his appearance at the Jaipur Literature Festival in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, citing a possible threat to his life. He later suggested that state police agencies lied about paid assassins being sent to Jaipur to kill him.

March 2012: Address to Conference in New Delhi

In March 2012, Salman Rushdie returned to India to address a conference in New Delhi on March 16.

July 2012: Blaming Colorado cinema shooting on gun rights

In July 2012, Salman Rushdie blamed a shooting at a Colorado cinema on the American right to keep and bear arms.

September 2012: Publication of Joseph Anton: A Memoir

In September 2012, Rushdie's memoir, Joseph Anton: A Memoir, was published.

September 2012: Release of Joseph Anton

On September 18, 2012, Salman Rushdie's memoir of his years in hiding, titled Joseph Anton, was released. Joseph Anton was Rushdie's secret alias during the height of the controversy surrounding the fatwa.

2012: Publication of Joseph Anton: A Memoir

In 2012, Rushdie published Joseph Anton: A Memoir, an account of his life in the wake of the events following The Satanic Verses.

2012: Publication of "In the South" on Booktrack

In 2012, Rushdie published his short story "In the South" on the Booktrack platform.

2012: Criticism of Imran Khan

In 2012, Salman Rushdie was critical of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan after Khan took personal jabs at him in an interview.

2012: Release of Midnight's Children Film

In 2012, the cinematic adaptation of Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children, directed by Deepa Mehta, was released.

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2014: Taught a seminar on British Literature

In 2014, Salman Rushdie taught a seminar on British Literature at an institution.

September 2015: Joined New York University Journalism Faculty

In September 2015, Salman Rushdie joined the New York University Journalism Faculty as a Distinguished Writer in Residence.

November 2015: Chidambaram Acknowledges Banning Was Wrong

In November 2015, former Indian minister P. Chidambaram acknowledged that banning The Satanic Verses was wrong.

The Satanic Verses: A Novel
The Satanic Verses: A Novel

2015: Publication of Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights

In 2015, Rushdie published Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights, a modern take on the One Thousand and One Nights. Based on the conflict of scholar Ibn Rushd, Rushdie explores themes of transnationalism and cosmopolitanism by depicting a war of the universe with a supernatural world of jinns.

2015: Rushdie's views on literature, grand narratives, and feminism

In 2015, Rushdie talked about literature, grand narratives, and feminism in an interview with New York magazine's The Cut. He believes freedoms of literature to be universal, and also shows support for feminism.

2015: Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU

In 2015, Rushdie was named Distinguished Writer in Residence at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University.

February 2016: Bounty Increased

In February 2016, more money was added to the bounty for the assassination of Salman Rushdie.

2016: Acquisition of US citizenship

In 2016, Salman Rushdie acquired American citizenship and voted for Hillary Clinton in that year's election.

2017: Appeared in Curb Your Enthusiasm

In 2017, Salman Rushdie appeared as himself in episode 3 of season 9 of Curb Your Enthusiasm, offering advice to Larry David on how to deal with the fatwa that has been ordered against him.

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2017: Publication of The Golden House

In 2017, The Golden House, a satirical novel by Salman Rushdie set in contemporary America, was published.

August 2019: Criticism of revocation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir

In August 2019, Salman Rushdie criticized the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, tweeting that what was happening there was an atrocity.

2019: Publication of Quichotte

In 2019, Quichotte, a modern retelling of Don Quixote by Salman Rushdie, was published.

2019: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Quichotte

In 2019, Salman Rushdie's work, Quichotte, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

July 2020: Signing of the "Harper's Letter"

In July 2020, Salman Rushdie was one of the 153 signers of the "Harper's Letter", also known as "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate", that expressed concern that "the free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted."

2020: Essays Written

In 2020, Salman Rushdie completed writing a collection of essays that he started in 2003 which would later be published in 2021 as 'Languages of Truth'.

2021: Publication of Languages of Truth

In 2021, Languages of Truth, a collection of essays written between 2003 and 2020 by Salman Rushdie, was published.

2021: Marriage to Rachel Eliza Griffiths

In 2021, Salman Rushdie married American poet and novelist Rachel Eliza Griffiths.

August 2022: Attack at Chautauqua Institution

On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was attacked while about to start a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York. He was stabbed repeatedly and airlifted to UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pennsylvania, for surgery.

October 2022: Report of Injuries

In October 2022, it was reported that Salman Rushdie had lost sight in one eye and the use of one hand but survived the August 2022 murder attempt.

2022: Stabbing at Chautauqua Institution

In 2022, Rushdie survived a stabbing at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, that led to loss of his right eye and damage to his liver and hands.

2022: Appointed Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour

In 2022, Salman Rushdie was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in the Birthday Honours for services to literature.

2022: Attack on Salman Rushdie

In 2022, Salman Rushdie was attacked and severely injured while about to give a public lecture in New York.

February 2023: Publication of Victory City

In February 2023, Rushdie's fifteenth novel, Victory City, was published. The book is described as an epic tale of a woman who breathes a fantastical empire into existence and was Rushdie's first released work after he was attacked and severely injured in 2022.

Victory City: A Novel
Victory City: A Novel

April 2023: Named one of Time's 100 most influential people

In April 2023, Rushdie was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.

October 2023: Expression of horror at Hamas' attack and Israel's retaliation

In October 2023, Salman Rushdie expressed his "horror" at both Hamas' attack on Israel and Israel's retaliation in the Gaza Strip and called for a "cessation in hostilities".

January 2024: Trial Delay Petitioned

In January 2024, the jury selection for the trial of Hadi Matar, Rushdie's attacker, was originally scheduled to begin on January 8, 2024. However, Matar's lawyer successfully petitioned to delay the trial so that they could review Rushdie's memoir and any related materials before the trial began, as the documents constitute evidence.

April 2024: Publication of Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

In April 2024, Rushdie's autobiographical book, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, was published. The book details the attack Rushdie experienced and his recovery and was longlisted for the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder
Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

May 2024: Comments on potential Palestinian state and support for Hamas

In May 2024, Salman Rushdie argued that if a Palestinian state ever came into being, it would resemble a "Taliban-like state" and become a client state of Iran. He also voiced his puzzlement regarding the current support of progressive students for what he described as a "fascist terrorist group".

February 2025: Attacker Found Guilty

In February 2025, Hadi Matar, the attacker, was found guilty of attempted murder and assault in connection with the stabbing of Salman Rushdie.